The conditions that many aboriginals live in is a “national shame,” and a critical audit of the Attawapiskat should be dismissed as a needless distraction from that issue, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says.

Too many First Nations children go to bed hungry to be worrying about the results of one band’s audit or the eviction of a news crew from a reserve, Duncan said when asked about recent developments at Attawapiskat.

“I think every Canadian should be angry and not angry about an audit,” a fired up Duncan said Wednesday. “Where were the federal authorities overseeing this if that is in fact the case. Where were they? That’s a legitimate question.”

The Liberal finance minister, who has yet to rule out a federal run after he resigns from provincial politics this year, raised eyebrows with some aggressive tweets Tuesday in which he alleged the audit was released to undermine Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence in the middle of her Idle No More hunger strike.

“I just found that whole episode quite appalling,” Duncan said of the audit’s release.

Duncan repeated his claim that the Stephen Harper government’s F-35 fighter jet plan is a far bigger concern than the Attawapiskat audit.

The Harper government announced last month it was reconsidering its decision to buy F-35s after one report pegged the full cost over 42 years at $46 billion.

Duncan attacks Attawapiskat audit

The conditions that many aboriginals live in is a “national shame,” and a critical audit of the Attawapiskat should be dismissed as a needless distraction from that issue, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says.

Too many First Nations children go to bed hungry to be worrying about the results of one band’s audit or the eviction of a news crew from a reserve, Duncan said when asked about recent developments at Attawapiskat.

“I think every Canadian should be angry and not angry about an audit,” a fired up Duncan said Wednesday. “Where were the federal authorities overseeing this if that is in fact the case. Where were they? That’s a legitimate question.”